Caption: MODEL RELEASED. Exploratory bowel surgery. View of surgeons performing exploratory bowel surgery. The patient's abdomen has been cut open to reveal the intestines (lower centre), which can then be checked for any abnormalities. Exploratory surgery is a radical procedure which is used when a problem cannot be diagnosed by other means. The intestines usually serve to absorb nutrients and water from food, and disorders generally hamper this process, leading to constipation, diarrhoea or malabsorption. Common disorders include Crohn's disease (severe inflammation) and cancer of the colon (large intestine). Surgical removal of the affected area may be the only cure in both cases.